


Signature Blend

by OctoberSpirit



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Domestic, Drabble, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gift Fic, M/M, Minific, Science, Tea, and sometimes that is okay, night vale is not as weird as it usually is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-07 14:49:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1903056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OctoberSpirit/pseuds/OctoberSpirit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A perfectly sweet, normal tea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Signature Blend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [livinginnightvale (cloudsgrl)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudsgrl/gifts).



> (via tumblr, re: perfect carlos tea blend)  
> mook64 said: milk?  
> livinginnightvale said: I did try milk. But I think I put too much in? Tea is a very delicate balance thing, and I admit I haven’t done the science, nor taken the time to learn how to properly make it work, despite my love for tea. I shall try again tomorrow~

Carlos frowns. Cecil notices.

Cecil always notices.

"Is there something wrong with the tea?" he asks, fingers fiddling with his spoon.

"No…" says Carlos, sipping again. "Not wrong, not exactly. It just needs…something?" He lowers his cup and tilts it slightly, peering down into the liquid. Steam reaches up to caress his lenses. "Something," he decides, "and I used too much milk."

Cecil jerks his chair across linoleum, nearly swiping his teacup from the table. Carlos nabs it just before it overturns; a few stray drops scald his knuckles. “I’ll brew something else. The lavender’s good. And I have this sort of fruity green—”

"Cecil, no," says Carlos, hurrying after him. His glasses remain stubbornly fogged, but nothing in Cecil’s tiny kitchen is actually far enough to blur. Carlos looks over the frames, catches Cecil’s sleeve. Cecil pauses with one hand in the cabinet.

"But if you don’t like it…"

"I don’t _dislike_ it.” Carlos feels his smile half-bloom, a manic upward twist to his lips. It’s his science-face. It looks ridiculous. The absurdity is only amplified in his lab, accessorized by goggles and gloves and the coat. He hopes his boyfriend will never witness the full effect, if only to keep him from describing it on the radio. “Come back, sit down. I promise it’s fine.”

Cecil’s expression angles toward doubt, but he allows Carlos to nudge him into his chair, his fingers threading around his cup. “If you insist.”

"I insist," insists Carlos.

As Cecil raises the cup to his lips, Carlos opens another cabinet and pokes around for a handful of mugs. He has a notepad in his pocket, and Cecil keeps various non-writing utensils scattered throughout his home at all times. There’s plenty of milk, plenty of sugar, plenty of unconventional additives. He can always replace what he uses later. “Cecil, do you mind if I pour some more tea?”

Cecil lets his gaze flick across his boyfriend, absorbing details with one eyebrow raised. “If you’d like,” he says. “I always have plenty.”

Carlos begins to measure precisely, assembling a row of bright-colored mugs. He can feel Cecil’s eyes roving over his shoulder blades. “Tea is delicate,” he begins to explain, “it’s a balance thing. Variables, measurements.” The teapot sloshes as he sets it down; Cecil gives a faint sound of comprehension.

"It’s a science thing. You’re going to do science."

Carlos’ smile widens. “I’m going to do science.”

"I didn't know you could do science with tea."

"Cecil," says Carlos, half-turning toward the table. He can feel the giddiness creeping over his face. "You can do science with _anything,_ trust me.”

There’s a pause as Carlos turns back to his cups. He misses the mischief that touches Cecil’s eyes, temporarily discards the faint whiff of innuendo. “I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Cecil purrs.

Later, Carlos will remember to blush.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little minific for a friend on tumblr. :3 Thought I'd post it here to make it easier to locate.
> 
> The tea: http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=50514


End file.
